For more on this topic, go to www.dentaleconomics.com and search using the following key words: Chicago Midwinter, Instyle Smile, OraPharma, Zila, Trident Dental Labs.
Dentists ask me all the time what is new and exciting in dentistry, and I tell them that changes are happening in the dental industry now faster than ever in terms of products, techniques, and materials. How do I know this? I recently attended the Chicago Dental Society Midwinter Meeting. I have been privileged to attend this meeting 26 of the last 27 times, and have even been a presenter on many occasions. Cheers to whomever at the Chicago Dental Society puts this meeting together.
My first stop on the floor was Trident Dental Laboratories. This company always seems to have something new and innovative hitting the market. The company just released "Instyle Smile," the next generation in the temporary smile category. It's made from a lighter material that fits much more comfortably in the mouth so patients can try out a new smile before they get veneers or crown and bridge work. If you liked the original version, you will love "Instyle Smile." It is significantly less expensive than the original.
My next stop was the Coltène-Whaledent booth. You know Coltène-Whaledent for its excellent equipment and Parapost lines. You may not know that they make some excellent restoratives, including two new products.
One is One Coat Bond 7.0, a well-tested, excellent self-etching adhesive. The other is a new product just purchased called DuoTemp. This is a light-cured and self-cured temporary material that will solve several challenges when we use temporization materials.
I continued on through the meeting and ended up at the OraPharma booth, the makers of Arestin. Getting rid of bugs in the periodontal pocket is crucial to the success of any periodontal treatment. I am amazed at how many dentists I have talked to who have integrated Arestin successfully into their offices. Arestin is made up of small antibiotic microspheres that are pushed into a periodontal pocket with an easy-to-use cannula. It really is a must for a periodontal treatment regimen.
I stopped by the Zila Pharmaceuticals booth and became acquainted with a great new product that makes power scaling incredibly comfortable for patients. The new Pro-Select Platinum scaler is the most advanced piezo scaler on the market and has many creature comfort features. They include heated water, great fiberoptic illumination, and the ability to irrigate the periodontal pocket with different solutions. The Pro-Select Platinum is a new era in patient comfort when it comes to prophylaxis and periodontal scaling. It is the most significant advancement I have seen in this area in a long time. Zila is also the maker of ViziLite Plus, a must-have for oral cancer screening.
These are just a few of the areas that excited me at the Chicago Dental Society meeting. There are more areas I plan to cover in future columns, but let me say it's time to get excited about dentistry again!
By the way, I had the great fortune to spend time with the esteemed editor of Dental Economics®, Dr. Joe Blaes, and his able assistant, Genna Leutzinger, at the Sirona party on the Saturday night of the meeting. Joe is one of the nicest guys in dentistry, and it's always a pleasure to spend time with him and Genna, who always greets everyone with the biggest smile. They work hard to make DE® as great as it is each month. It's a pleasure to count them among my friends. Keep up the great work, Joe!
Dr. Louis Malcmacher is a practicing general dentist in Bay Village, Ohio, and an internationally known lecturer, author, and dental consultant known for his comprehensive and entertaining style. You may contact him at (440) 892-1810, or e-mail [email protected]. For information on monthly consulting programs, audio CD's and free monthly e-newsletter, go to www.commonsensedentistry.com.
